TSA Checkpoint 1 – Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

I just went through security at ABIA, and it was surprisingly a very pleasant experience. The TSA agents were friendly, helpful and had things going smoothly. With all the anxiety created by the media (which I know is for good reason with all the wait times, etc.), I want to commend the folks at ABIA for being nice and professional and helping to make what is a very stressful situation as good as it can be.

There’s a rude agent I see every time I go. If you prefer no radiation and want a pat down, this older lady with hair pulled back will say rudely, «You know what you’re asking right??? You will be checked head to toe. Are you okay with this?!? You know these do not use radiation right?!?“Just short of an eye roll, she tells you to take your items and wait for someone to molest you. I mentioned I also had film and didn’t want it to go through the X-​ray. «Film? As in film film? Camera film?» YES, CAMERA FILM. People have hobbies. I suppose she needs one and maybe she’d become a happy person. I remained calm and said yes. She is also not educated correctly on the body scanners or she is lying. The body scanners DO use radiation but a lower amount that is permitted by the government. The government checks its own machines for radiations and says it’s fine for a human body and its own agent says it uses no radiation. Makes sense. I’m guessing she didn’t pay any attention to the reports of agents keeping over 2,000 pictures for themselves and took them home as well as had fun with them while at work and also made fun of people while viewing them.

Not sure what was going on the day I flew out of ABIA that my «best kept secret» go-​to checkpoint was sooooo packed! I can usually roll up to CP1 and breeze through in a literal matter of minutes! Alas, that was not the case this last time. I am praying this was a one-​off experience and that everybody decided to leave Austin simultaneously and that this is not the new norm.
CP1, you are the last beacon of ABIA efficiency, please don’t let your light of expediency go out too! Kthnx.

I am fairly conservative, but it bothers me to hear so much Republican criticism of the TSA. I appreciate being kept safe on my airline flights. I believe we need the TSA, and perhaps even more rigor because sometimes, dangerous items still slip through. If you follow the TSA on Instagram, your eyes will be opened about the kinds of dangerous items TSA discovers passengers trying to carry on airline flights (see:
), from bottle rockets to hatchets, from mortar rounds to batarangs! One visit to that Instagram page says it all for me. Thanks for keeping an eye out for airline passengers, TSA.